Finding Paradise on Earth
Annie Mangan was born in San Francisco, California on September 21, 1861. Her father, Patrick, and mother, Ann (Ahern), were both born in Ireland. We know very little about Annie before she entered the Sisters of the Holy Family as number 10 in the infant community, but there is a letter preserved in the archives from Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany concerning her dated February 28, 1881. It was addressed to the foundress, Sister Dolores Armer:
“Dear in Christ Sister,
Miss Annie Mangan, as far as I can judge, has a good vocation to a religious life.So, if you need more subjects, you may receive her into your community.
Yours truly,
+ J.S. Alemany, ASF”
On March 19, 1881, (Sister Dolores wasted no time), Annie entered the fledgling congregation at the age of 19. She received her religious name – Zita – on September 19, 1881 when she was formally received into the community as a novice. Her Final Profession occurred on July 16, 1888. Sr. Zita gave 68 years of warm and devoted service to poor families as a Sister of the Holy Family.
In 1907, when the first house outside of San Francisco was opened in San Jose, she was one of the eight originals in that mission. With the exception of about two years when she returned to care for one of the Kindergarten and after-school catechetical establishments, she lived out her life of service in the vast and, at that time, very rural areas of San Jose. Her labors to support and assist the poor became legendary in the area, and the community still hears stories about her resourcefulness in their behalf. She loved her work, which all of her contemporaries, including the foundress, knew very well.
Sister Dolores Armer, from a retreat in Northern California, once remarked in a letter to Sister Imelda Woodward: “Sister Zita and myself thought we had found Paradise, but we have come to the conclusion while on this earth your “charge” whatever it may be is Paradise, so we often long for our earthly Paradise – ‘Home Sweet Home’.”
Sister Zita Mangan entered eternal “home sweet home” June 2, 1949.